The study looked at how ezogabine affects certain brain activities in people with depression and anhedonia, the inability to experience pleasure or joy, which is a common symptom of many mental health conditions.

Study participants were given either ezogabine or a placebo for five weeks and received MRI scans to assess activity in reward-related brain circuits. The results showed that ezogabine helped reduce brain activity related to anticipation and decreased connections between certain brain areas.

The article, “Effects of KCNQ potassium channel modulation on ventral tegmental area activity and connectivity in individuals with depression and anhedonia”, published in Molecular Psychiatry, suggests that ezogabine might be useful in treating depression.

Sara Costi, Honorary Consultant at Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust and Senior Clinical Researcher at the University of Oxford’s Department of Psychiatry co-led on the study.